7 pm
Humanity on the Move, from Show of Force Productions, tells the stories of those displaced by war, violence, and natural disasters who are seeking refuge and a new place to call home. The series, which includes two short documentaries about refugees from Central America, was aired on World Channel on September 16, to coincide with the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month.
In Los Comandos, a teenage emergency responder faces one of the most difficult choices of her life. El Salvador, as the result of extreme gang and police violence, has the highest murder rate in the world. Sixteen-year-old Mimi, growing up in this war zone, finds refuge in a group of volunteer paramedics called the Comandos de Salvamento—one of the few institutions that is willing to take a stand against the reign of terror, and a place of refuge and community for the young people who are disproportionately targeted. But after one of her fellow Comandos is gunned down, Mimi must decide whether to stay and continue to risk her life to help others, or to flee north in hopes of a brighter future.
2018; Joshua Bennett & Juliana Schatz-Preston; Spanish with English subtitles; 30 minutes; rated PG.
In Towards the North, we meet Nelly and her daughter Joseline, from Honduras, at a tiny refugee shelter in Tapachula, Mexico. Like millions of others, they are fleeing extreme gang violence in Central America. As we enter their world, we witness the daily battles of asylum seekers on the run, making the best of each day, meeting new friends, and living in a constant state of fear. With their sights set on the U.S., mother and daughter cover the length of Mexico—only to arrive in Tijuana, where the U.S. border suddenly becomes a dark reality.
2018; Jessica Chermayeff & Joshua Bennett; Spanish with English subtitles; 20 minutes; rated PG.
The screening will be followed by a discussion led by Eduardo Garcia, a staff attorney at the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center. A native of the El Paso, Texas-Juárez, México borderland, he is an Equal Justice Attorney Fellow for 2018-2020 and director and faculty member of the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project at the UNM School of Law. Presented in partnership with New Mexico PBS.
Free ticketed event; tickets available one hour before show